Apparatus for developing power



G W. CONNOR.

APPARATUS FOR ADEVELOPING POWER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I2. 1'9I9.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

G. W. CONNOR. APPARATUS FOR llEiVE-[OPINGI POWER APPLICATION men MAY 12. 1919..

Patented Mar. 2,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING POWER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1-919.

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GUM/mug G. W. CONNOR.

APPARATUS FOR'DEVELOPING POWER. VAPPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1919.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920 4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

GEORGE W. CONNOR, OF ANDERSON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING POWER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mai-.2, 1920.

Application filed May 12, 1919. Serial No. 296,501.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen W. CONNOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anderson, in the county of Anderson and State of South Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Developing Power, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my present invention is to utilize the expansion of fluid under pressure preferably gases, to the best advantage in the actuation of a driven clement, preferably a rotor.

The invention consists in an apparatus embodied in which is a compressor and retarding means for cooperation with the compressor in the initial compression of the fluid, in combination with a rotor of such character that the fluid is secondarily compressed thereagainst precedent to the utilization of the expanding fluid for the driving of the rotor. The apparatus also comprises a peculiar and advantageous rotor against which the expanding fluid acts in a continuing operation; an arrangement whereby the atmospheric air supplied to the carbureter of the apparatus is heated by the combustion in the apparatus to improve the expanding quality of the fluid and at the same.

time such air is used for cooling purposes; a combination whereby a plurality of volumes of expanding gases are provided forthe propulsion of the rotor during the turning thereof, through each revolution and a combination whereby the compressor, rotor, retarding valve and magneto are all timed together, and are so relatively arranged that theynanngt get out of time.

Other novel features of the invention are developed in the following description and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus constituting the best practical embodiment of the apparatus part of my invention that I have as yet devised.

Fig. 2 is an elevation taken at right to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a View partly in plan and partly in section, with theupper portion of the casing removed.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken in h plane of the lin of Figangles Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

The compressor 1 is preferably, though not necessarily. of the type disclosed in my Letters-Patent No. 1,283,089 of October 29,-

1918, and need not therefore be specifically described except to say that the induction orifice of the compressor is at 2 and the eduction orifice thereof at 3. A conduit r connects a carbureter 5 with said induction orifice 2, and a conduit (3 leads from the eduction orifice 3 to the casing of a rotary retarding valve Shaving ports 9 that describe parts of a circle, Fig. 9, and are adapted to efiect communication between the conduit 6 on the one hand, and a port 10 on the other: the said port 10 being in communication with a combustion chamber 11. Also in communication with said combustion chamber 11 are two spark plugs 12. Practically surrounding the combustion chamber 11 but not in direct communication therewith is an air conduit 13. Fig. 5, which is joined to a conduit 14 which. together with the conduit 13, extends almost half-way around the casing 15, which is preferably circular in form and in two sections as illustrated. Air induction ports 16. grouped about the com bustion chamber 11, Figs. 2 and 5, lead from the atmosphere to the chambcr-surrounding conduit 13. and the end of the conduit 14 remote from said conduit 13 is connected through a conduit 16 with the carburetor 5. as clearly appears in Fig. 1. From this it follows that incidental to'the operation of the apparatus, atmospheric air will be drawn in large volumes through the ports 16 and the conduits 13 and 14 into the carbureter, and in consequence the engine will 'be thoroughly cooled by the air. At the same time the temperature of the air Will be raised to a material extent and hence will improve the combustible and expanding character of the fluid mixture that is formed in the carbureter; it being understood in this connection that the carbureter is to be connected in the.

ordinary or any. other approved manner with a source of hydrocarbon supply (not shown).

The rotor 17 of the compressor 1 is carried by a shaft 18 alined with and coupled at 19 to the shaft 20 of the rotor comprised in my motor, and it will also be noticed here that thevalve 8 is carried on a shaft 21 upon which is also carried the rotary portion of a magneto 22, and that the saidv shaft 20 of the rotor is connected through a reducing train of gears 23 with the shaft 21 and also with a shaft 24 through which latter the rotor is connected with any device that is to be driven. v

As shown in Fig. 4, the casing is pro- 'vided at its opposite ends with exhaust oribeing illustrated. At opposite sides of the sump 30 are sumps 34 and 35, Fig. 4:; the said sumps being preferably shaped in crosssection as shown, and being spaced apart. The said sumps 34 and 35 are connected'to the casing 15 by lag screws 36, Figs. 4 and.

- 7, and each sump 34 and 35 has oil supply apertures 37 in its inner curvilinear wall, controlled by valves 38.. The stems of the valves 33 and 38 are equipped with cranks 39, Fig. 2, and said cranks 39 are connected to a common rod 40 so that by manipulating the rod 40 the several valves may be opened or closed inconcert. Oil is preferably supplied to each of the said sumps at or adjacent to the highest point thereof.

The rotor members 32 are provided with two groups of spaced blades 50, the said groups being arranged diametrically opposite each other, and each comprising, say, eight or ninie spaced blades. The said blades are arranged as shown in Fig. 3, relative to the indicated direction of rotation of the rotor; and it will also be nqted' that the blades of one member 32 are arranged with their inner ends opposite to spaces between' the blades of the other member, so that the expanding fluid in passing through the spaces between the blades of one member will act efficiently against the blades of the other member. This will be better understood when it is stated that the rotor is of the reaction'type. Surrounding the rotor members 32 are beari g bands 51 which are d sposed in rabbets of the members 32, as

shown. The rotor members 32 are arranged together, and at opposite sides of the members 32 are rotor members 52, 53, 5 and 55. Surrounding the rotor members 52 are annular members56 each of which includes one of the sumps before alluded to, and

is therefore stationary in the casing. Each stationary annular member 56 is provided in alinement with the exhaust orifices 26 with a group of, say four, ducts 57, and these ducts 57 are disposed as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3 with reference to the direction of rotation of the rotor. Each rotor niembcr 53 is provided with two opposite groups of blades 58, the blades being separated by intervening spaces and being disposed as shown in Fig. 3, relative to the direction of rotation of'the rotor. As will .be readily appreciated, there is a comparatively large number of the blades 58 in each of the groups of blades carried by the members 53. and the said members 53 are surrounded by bearing bands 59. The rotor members 54 are surrounded by annular members 60 each of which comprises one of the sumps 34. Each stationary annular member 60 is provided in general alinement with the exhaust orifices 26 with a group of ducts 61, each group comprising say, five ducts, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 6.

position shown in Fig. 5, and from this it follows that the blades 50 will travel about sixteen degrees before there is any outlet, the expansion of the. gases serving during that time to drive the rotor in the direction indicated by arrow. As the blades 50 of the first group reach the ducts 57, the expand ing gases will pass through said ducts and act against the blades of the rotor member 53, after which the expanding gases will of ducts 61 than 57, greater expansion of the-blades of the rotor members 55. Because of the employment of a larger number of dutcs 61 than 57, greater expansion of the gases will be permitted as the pressure of the same is diminished.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in the operation of my novel apparatus the spark plugs 12 will be fired alternately,

and the magneto will be driven at the same speed as the rotor; also, that the continuing expansion of the gases until the same reach the exhaust orifices 26 will exert continuing power against the rotor as distinguished from a sudden impulse such as follows the explosion of a fuel mixture. It will further be apparent that my apparatus is of the reaction type, and that incidental to the turning of the rotor through a complete revolution, it is subjected to the action of a plu -alityof volumes of expanding gases, and that the action of the expanding gases against the rotor is a continuing and uninterrupted operation, for the reason that before one volume of expanding gases has completed its passage through the exhaust orifices 26, the succeeding volume of gases will be acting against the blades 50 of the following group of blades. Again in the time intervening between the volumes of gases against the two groups of blades 50, one of the intervening imperforate portions 7 5 of the rotor will be opposed to the mouth of the chamber 11 to afford compression in said chamber anterior to the ignition of each volume of combustible mixture.

Having described my invention, what I- claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. An internal combustion apparatus for developing power comprising a casing having alined exhaust orifices; a combustion chamber in the casing; a rotor mounted in the casing and having a blade-bearing portion opposed to said combustion chamber with the blades in groups and said groups separated by intervening portions for closing the combustion chamber, blade-bearing members at opposite'sides of said bladebearing portion and spaced therefrom and from each other, and stationary members in terposed between the blade-bearing portion and the blade-bearing members and having ducts in general alinement with said orifices; a conduit in communication with the atmosphere and arranged in close proximity to the combustion chamber, a carbureter connected with said conduit to receive air therefrom, a compressor connected with the carbureter and operable by the rotor, a valve between and connected with the compressor and the combustion chamber, a magneto operable in concert with said valve by the rotor, and means for igniting volumes of fuel mixture in the combustion chamber during each revolution of the rotor.

2. An internal combustion apparatus for developing power comprising a casing, a driven element therein, a combustion chamber in the casing. a conduit surrounding said chamber in close proximity thereto, ducts connecting said conduit at intervals with the atmosphere, and a carbureter connected withand adapted, to receive air fr m said conduit.

developing power comprising a casing, a

driven element therein, a combustion chamber in the casing, a conduit surrounding said chamber in close proximity thereto, ducts connecting said conduit at intervals with the atmosphere, at carbureter connected with and adapted to receive air from said conduit, and a compressor for drawing fuel mixture from the carbureter and supplying the same to the combustion chamber.

5. An internal combustion apparatus for developing power comprising a casing, a driven element therein, a combustion chamber in the casing, a conduit surrounding said chamber in close proximity thereto, ducts connecting said conduit at intervals with the atmosphere, a carbureter connected with and adapted to receive air from said conduit, a compressor connected with the driven element and adapted to draw fuel mixture from the carbureter, a valve lntermediate of and con nected with the compressor and the combustion chamber, a magneto on the same shaft as said valve, a reducing gear intermediate the driven element and said shaft, and means for igniting the fuel mixture in the combustion chambera plurality of times during each operation of the driven element.

6. An internal combustion apparatus for developing power comprising a casing, a rotor therein, a combustion chamber in-the casing and closed at intervals during rotation of the rotor by the rotor, a conduit surrounding said chamber in close proximity thereto and having ducts in communication with the atmosphere, a carbureter connected with and adapted to receive air from said conduit, a rotary compressor connected with the carbureter and actuatable by said rotor, a rotary valve intermediate of and connected with the compressor and the combustion chamber, a magneto on the same shaft as said valve, a reducing gear intermediate of the rotor and said shaft, and means for igniting volumes of fuel mixture in the combustion chamber incidental to each revolution of the rotor.

7 A fluid compressor power apparatus comprising a casing in which is an exhaust orifice, and a rotor mounted in said casing and compri i g pae d bladeb armg me e:

I 5 sion of the fluid will exert continuing presand adapted to supply lubricant thereto.

bers, in combination with stationary memsumps in their lower portions for supplying bers interposed between the blade-bearing lubricant to rotor members disposed therein, 10 members and havin ducts in. general alineand an annular stationary member surment with said ori ce whereby the expanrounding the initial blade-bearing member sure a ainst the rotor until the fluid passes In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. througi said orifice; said stationary membets being annular in form andhaving oil GEORGE W. CONNOR. 

